A Red River in Russia

The Guardian reports about the Daldykan river waters in Russia to turn into blood red. World’s biggest producer of nickel and palladium Norilsk Nickel has admitted one of its plants takes the responsibility of turning the water into bright red.

Last week Russia’s environment ministry started an investigation into the accident. Norilsk Nickel was initially refusing to confirm a leak. They were insisting that the heavy rain resulted in water flooding over a filtration dam at the plant and into the river. The company said the accident did not present a danger either for people or fauna in the river. However, environmental activists were sure it was too early to make judgments.

Local activists announced that media had done their best to whitewash Nadezhda metallurgical plant, the company which was blamed for the spillage. It was funny to the locals to read that the discoloration of the water came naturally from clay.

Sidor Chuprin, an indigenous activist said there were no environmental officials based on the remote peninsula, and the locals struggled to hold the metals giant to account.